(no subject)

[elemmennope.livejournal.com]

Sapphira

What are your thoughts? It's not my favorite or anything, so feel free to be as honest as you want. I anticipate many of the comments will go more in a stripper direction, and while I understand that point of view, I'd also like some more open-minded opinions on if you actually knew or imagined knowing a real normal girl/woman who was NOT a stripper, do you think you'd get used to it or even like it?

I just think it has so much potential. I love the stone (my birth stone) and I love the way the name looks written down and the way it sounds too. I just wonder if it's a hopelessly stigmatized name.

And what is it about Ruby, Opal, and Pearl that makes them more acceptable as names anyway?

Thanks for your thoughts and opinions.

Edit: No, I do not mean Sapphire. I mean Sapphira. (sa-FEAR-uh or sa-FIE-rah) Separate but obviously related. I would've thought that was obvious, but I guess some of you haven't heard the name version before.

Comments

[angelwifey.livejournal.com]

no. just no. even the others: opal, ruby and pearl, arent my taste. maybe as middle names and spelt correctly. and Ruby is a possibility as that is my grandmothers name.

[elemmennope.livejournal.com]

Sapphira (http://behindthename.com/php/search.php?sourceid=Mozilla-search&terms=sapphira&nmd=n&gender=both&operator=or) not Sapphire. I'm cool with you not liking it, but I don't get your "spelt correctly" comment.

[p-inkjeans.livejournal.com]

For some reason, names like that are just a little too out there for me. I could probably deal with Ruby but the rest are just...eww.

[jenniferdunn.livejournal.com]

Sapphire has possibilities, but only as a middle name in my opinion. I think most gemstone names sound better as middle names.

[elemmennope.livejournal.com]

Sapphira (http://behindthename.com/php/search.php?sourceid=Mozilla-search&terms=sapphira&nmd=n&gender=both&operator=or) not Sapphire.

[maude.livejournal.com]

It makes me think of a character in some preteen girl's sci-fi/fantasy fanfic. You know...Sapphira Raven, the sophisticated goth woman who dresses all in black and red velvet and has a pet crow she can communicate with.

[poespretty.livejournal.com]

omg yes lol

[poespretty.livejournal.com]

maybe the old fashioned-ness of the other names makes them more acceptable? I mean I don't know who started it or when, but maybe if they had used Sapphira back at the turn of the century it might be ok now? that's weird to think about huh?

personally, I don't care for Sapphira. when I prn. it at least, it sounds like 'Seveera'...it reminds me of the word 'severe'. just nms.

[elemmennope.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the comment, the "severe" sound is a good point.

[sarahrose.livejournal.com]

It's all right. It sounds very storybook to me - fantasy-like.

[bree019.livejournal.com]

To be completely honest, it sounds trailer park to me.

[missamerican.livejournal.com]

I like Sapphira much more than I like Ruby, Opal, and Pearl. Especially since Hurricane Opal. ;/

I think Sapphira is pretty though. I wouldn't ever use it but I like it. And as strange as it may sound- I think it's unusually sophisticated.

[artfuldodger.livejournal.com]

1. It's the name of the female dragon in Christopher Paolini's horrible Aragorn Eragon books.

2. There's a woman in the Bible named Sapphira, and she is known only for being dishonest and being struck down dead for it.

3. In other words, no.

[elemmennope.livejournal.com]

1. Never heard of it.
2. Yeah, that is unfortunate. Although the majority of people who answered this thread seem to have no idea about that, so I wonder how much of an issue it is. I'm not Judeo-Christian myself either, so biblical references mean nothing to me. Still... it's something to keep in mind.
3. Cool, thanks.

[itcouldbelove.livejournal.com]

I think it would be pretty written down, as well. It's pretty, but it's not something I would ever even consider naming my child. Like... at all.

Personally though, I like Ruby and Pearl. Pearl more of a middle name and I doubt I'd ever use it. Opal I hate. It's just... icky. But yeah, I don't know why others are more acceptable, but that's just how it is, I suppose.

[neroli.livejournal.com]

> What is it about Ruby, Opal, and Pearl that makes them more acceptable as names anyway?

Good question! They have such a radically different image from names like Diamond and Sapphire. I wonder if there is something about the qualities or status of these stones that gave us these impressions???

[elemmennope.livejournal.com]

Maybe people are just way more comfortable with what's been done before. Maybe Ruby and Opal were stripper weird names back in the day. :P

[luliriisi.livejournal.com]

Sapphira wouldn't work for me because it'd be unpronounceable(sp?) to my mother who doesn't speak much English. I need names that sound okay in Finnish as well as English. XD

Ruby I don't mind, even if it doesn't fit in with the above criteria. Pearl and Opal, no. They just sound so old.
The only reason why I like Jade (my sister's name) is because it's pronounced Yah-deh. "Jayd" doesn't appeal to me at all.

[thefadingshadow.livejournal.com]

It reminds me of Zafira (or however its spelled) which is a minivan by Vauxhall.

The others I don't mind much, but I think I prefer them for mns.

[turabiannights.livejournal.com]

Wow, I was not expecting such violent reactions to Sapphira! I love it, actually (though I prefer it spelled Saphira). I suppose when you think about it, it could sound a bit stripperish/gothish/bodice-ripping-ish... I think Sapphire is trashier than Sapphira, but they're both lovely. I find Ruby and Diamond much, much trashier than Sapphira/Sapphire, but probably only because they are more commonly used. I don't really like many gem names, come to think of it. Opal could be cool; I like Coral; Amethyst is a pretty word that could make a pretty name in La La Land...

[elemmennope.livejournal.com]

I was expecting it, just because that's how people in this community tend to be. If it's not Aidan or Isabelle it's crap. Still other peoples associations don't mean that much to me. I'm sure no one has actually met a person named Sapphira, and if they met my little girl with the name, for example, I hardly think they'd get her confused with an exotic dancer. KWIM? Associations, especially imaginary ones, vanish the first time a real person is there instead of this imagined one.

I like Ruby and Coral, but the other gemstone names don't do much for me either. Sapphires are my favorite though, plus I have a weakness for names with 'ph' in them for some reason.

Thanks for you commonet.

[anapology.livejournal.com]

I really like it actually...

I don't think of strippers, i think of a very wacky super religious black transvestite who wears THE MOST OUTRAGEOUS clothes ever (even would be on a woman but for a man it's crazy!) He's a bit of a local celebrity, just because he's so unique & he goes by the name of Sapphire.

(just to give an indication of how over the top he is... i was forced to go to midnight mass last christmas eve, the best thing that happened was Sapphire, turning up 15 minutes late dressed as one of the wise men.. huge head dress & hat thingy teamed with a long cape of some sort- in all seriousness, apparently that's his outfit every year. He walked down the aisle to get communion & i couldnt keep a straight face!)

[elemmennope.livejournal.com]

LOL, sounds like a character.

[dncr119.livejournal.com]

I never like to put down a name that someone honestly likes b/c I like some pretty out there names myself, but I just don't care for this one. It just sounds kind of Trashy maybe it's b/c I did know a stripper who used this as her stage name. I think it would be better for a middle name.

[semi-sweet.livejournal.com]

I think it's a pretty name. I like sapphires, they are one of my favorite stones. I would also like it spelled Safira :o)

[elemmennope.livejournal.com]

For some reason, the 'ph' is part of the appeal for me. I tend to like names with ph, th, or sh in them. Safira gives the same sound though without making the gemstone association (which I think is what people find garish). Something to think about anyway, thanks for the suggestion.

[ilovebruiser.livejournal.com]

I think it's a very pretty name. I think of the stone and it reminds me of mystery on depth. Therfore so does the name. I have no idea where people get the idea that it's trashy. I honestly think it's a beautiful name.

[elemmennope.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

[desert-vixen.livejournal.com]

Honestly, it makes me picture a) a stripper or b) a character from a fantasy video game.

DV

[special-girl.livejournal.com]

No, Sorry I dont like it. I like Sapphire as in the stone because that's my stone, but not as a name for a child. Reminds me of Sapphron & Chiffon!

[glitterberrys.livejournal.com]

Do you mean Sapphire? Because that's what the stone is called, not "Sapphira." I'm indifferent to "Sapphire" (don't really like it myself, but whatever) but I'm going to have to go with stripper on "Sapphira."

[elemmennope.livejournal.com]

No, I mean Sapphira (http://behindthename.com/php/search.php?sourceid=Mozilla-search&terms=sapphira&nmd=n&gender=both&operator=or).

Nice tone.

[sotypical42483.livejournal.com]

I don't like it. Doesn't flow well and seems too made-up.

[sotypical42483.livejournal.com]

I especially don't like it after reading the meaning.

[krosp.livejournal.com]

I think it's fine. It sounds like Sophia, but is a refreshing change from the popular Sophie names. If Sophia can be a pretty name why can't Sapphira? Sapphires are beautiful.

[elemmennope.livejournal.com]

Good point! I had not considered the similarity to Sophia, a name I really would love, if I didn't think it was over used these last few years.

Despite getting mostly negative feedback in this thread, I'm really liking this name more. I think it's just one of those names that sound strange the first time you hear them but once you hear of someone normal having the name, you love it.

Thanks for your comments.